MBN In Construction
by BitterSweet4137
Summary: Re-ediding My Baby Naruto
1. Note Must Read

I attempted to rewrite this entire story before posting the last chapter because there were a few changes that needed to be added before you guys could understand exactly what was going on in the epilogue.

Obviously I got lazy and because I'm pretty sick of myself at this point for abandoning this for so long I've just decided to upload what I have so that you don't have to wait on this anymore.

The first five chapters have been re-edited and I've added the epilogue to them in a entire new story… I know it seems sloppy and unorganized to do it this way but….. yea its all I got.

Yes I am still working on it but I don't want you guys to wait on it anymore you can just consider it finished and be satisfied with an ending while I find it in myself to get off my ass and improve the rest of it.

Refer to my profile for the edited chapters and epilogue. "MBN In Construction"

Lastly…

I need a beta.

Even the edited chapters still suck to me… It just isn't coming together for me and I guess I haven't developed enough to make it into a good quality story like I want it to be.

Things I need help with…

Being descriptive

Character development

Conveying character emotions especially while keeping them in character at the same time

Plot development.

And if anyone just has any suggestion for improve on anything that they feel can help this story along… like anything from something lacking in dialogue, plot, character portrayal …anything… feel free to DM me we can do this together :)

But please try and be polite about it. I already know that the story is lacking in quality and to be honest I didn't bother going over the edited chapters before uploading them because I'm kind of impatient to through them off my shoulders. If I thought it was as good as I know it could be I wouldn't' have asked for help in the first place.


	2. Chapter 1

Sasuke Uchiha lived by a philosophy. A Simple philosophy that he'd adopted recently and fought hard with his inner demons to live by on a daily basis.

_Let the past be the past and move forward. _

He'd had his ups and down –more so of the later than the first- and his trials and tribulations that he'd left behind for his own reasons and saw no point in dwelling in them. They brought him unnecessary pains and memories that he'd rather forget when what he wanted more than anything was to move forward and build himself a better future.

He'd grown to accept what he was. He learned to accept eternity the hard way after many failed attempts of trying to end it. He'd allowed himself to wallow in misery and self-pity for much too long before he decided that he wanted to try for a better living.

It might have been pretty ironic that Sasuke would start his journey to a better future by visiting a monumental place of his past, but what he'd decided that he needed was closure. That's how he'd found himself in Nagoya, Japan. He'd grown up here as a child so many years ago. In fact this had been him home until the very moment that he'd stopped growing at all.

He stood not too far away from the area that had been his actual home. His tall dark figure looming like the shadow that stood at his feet in the early morning sun. The spikes at the back of his mid length raven tresses swayed with the small winds that would frequently blow past him –tickling his scalp- and toying with the long bangs framing his pale face. There wasn't anything to be read in those ebony eyes. They were cold and completely blank of any known emotion. His posture was stiff as he leaned back against a light post with his hand shoved deeply in his pockets- and had they not been then maybe the passerby's would have noticed that they were balled into tight fist.

Maybe the women –and occasional men- would have thought twice before sending him flirty flirtatious looks, pausing a few feet away from him in hopes of sparking his interest. They were star struck by his handsome features. Captivated by his beauty –his tall and lean build, his elegantly chiseled features, his broody and mysterious demeanor- they made him the perfect predator and the humans around him the perfect prey. His meals walked right up to him and -with an only a few words- would follow him anywhere to their very demise.

Sasuke wrinkled his nose slightly- the only evidence to his growing annoyance before turning to glare at anyone who's attention he'd drawn, true murder in his eyes that had his admires hurrying to continue on their way. He rolled his black eyes in disdain before turning them back to the building in front of him.

Regrets had been apart of the deal when he'd adopted his philosophy. They were apart of his past so they were to be let go of though he couldn't help but to regret a few things right now at this very moment.

He'd once found a place for himself in a clan of his kind –bloodsuckers- who lived to be apart of human society- and had up and left them without a word years ago. He'd decided that he was better off alone and he had been wrong. One in particular had been a medic who had supplied him with plenty of donated blood that kept him functioning at his best.

When he had left he had made a vow to never feed off of a human ever again. He'd adopted a wildlife diet that served its purpose in keeping him alive, but rendered him weak both physically and mentally. He was only half his potential strength and speed and when it came down to his human qualities –his emotions- he was but a slave to them.

As he stood there staring into the windows of the small family owned antique shop that stood where his home once had, he nearly chocked on the torrent of emotions that rushed through his being. If now was anytime to regret leaving behind a life supply of human life force and trading it with that of a lesser mammal's it was now. Because even though the town had changed plenty over the many decades that he'd been nineteen years old, nothing could cloak the memories that played in his head as clear as the day that he'd lived them.

The one where he'd been seized by his throat and had his humanity torn form him as his parents lay dead from a similar brutal attack that he had been forced to witness. The same day that he had been betrayed by the person who he had loved and admired the most.

Ebony eyes widened in horror, his emotions a whirling mess distorting his sanity, and driving him out of his mental.

He was losing it.

He was steadily more aware of the smell of flesh as the seconds tick on, the sound of fragile hearts thumping a steady rhythm of pumping the precious life force that he yearned for. It had never been so alluring in all his time he'd never been this thirsty.

He'd never lost it before now. He'd never been back to visit this place before now. This whole thing had been a mistake.

Sasuke pushed himself off the lamppost and hurried away from the few civilians wandering casually down the streets on their way to get to where they were going and has almost been hit by a car in his haste. The shout of, "baka!" that followed after him only served to make him angrier.

He growled low inside of his chest but kept trudging forward, crossing the street and disappearing around the corner to find the neighboring street to be deserted. He needed to get out of there, to find to a place void of civilization until he gathered his wits, but there was absolutely no way out of this damned neighborhood without hitting a main street or highway. Running was out of the question and there was no way in hell that he was going to take the crowded subway.

He stopped his wandering and leaned against the side of the nearest house in defeat. There was no way out of this, his anger wasn't calming in the least, and in fact the helplessness of the situation only added frustration to his rage.

He slowly sunk down the sidewall of the nearest home until he was sitting in the grass below. He rested his head in between his knees and breathed in deeply in a last desperate attempt to calm his ever-growing rage and hostility, an act that proved to be his undoing. A scent unlike any other he'd ever smelled assaulted his nose, his head jerked up in one sharp movement. His mouth watered as the scent of warm honey and apples worked in harmony to shut down any logic or empathy for the life he longed to take.

His eyes bled red as the last of any sane thought ran through the darkness of his mind. Lethal sharp fangs ripped a clean trail through his gums, venom dripping clear fluid down his weapons making them glisten in the sun overhead. The last he heard was the sound of his own savage growling before he'd lost himself completely to the monster that he fought so hard to fight. His mind switched off completely and for a long while there was nothing but complete darkness.

_**oOoO**_

…

…

…

It was like waking up from a dream. Pale eyelids closing over blood shed eyes and lifting again to reveal the ebony that he'd been born with. Sasuke became aware of all five senses at once and for a moment he was completely overwhelmed.

He felt full, completely, and utterly satisfied. It was refreshing –a huge relief- that for the first time in almost a decade of his change in lifestyle, that he didn't feel that nagging pressure in his gums begging for release and blood. He could feel the stolen life force flowing through his dry veins, replenishing his strength, showing him a world through greater clarity, and though he stood still he could feel the slight twitching in his calf muscles reminding him of the sheer dizzying speeds that he could travel.

He could taste blood on his tongue. A mixture of flavors still sweet and warm dancing on his taste buds, but something was a little off about it. He didn't taste warm honey; there wasn't a hint of apple in his mouth.

He could smell it though. Still just as mouth watering as before, still flowing streams through a still living body.

He could hear screaming. A frightened whaling that brought an irritating twitch to his over sensitive ears.

He could see the mouth –wide open and toothless- that the crying was born from. Attached to…a child.

He found himself inside of a kitchen. Food sat cooking on an operating electric stove, the smell of bacon and eggs mingled with the scent of honey and apples. On the counter was a small television broadcasting trivial news and informing viewers on what was best to wear to suit the weather.

A normal family breakfast image ruined by the two bodies that lay deceased on the floor. A father –blonde and around his late twenties and early thirties- sat slumped against a wall the leg of a broken chair pierced straight through his chest. A blurred memory of being attack with said chair, and shoving that leg through the man's chest himself past through his mind.

At his feet there lay the mother –redhead and beautiful- body drained completely of blood. Memory of the woman jumping in front of her child –recognition and acceptance in her brown eyes- and his own teeth sinking smoothly through her pulse, registered in his horror stricken mind.

She lay in between his feet and the wheels of the highchair that the child sat, but with her current position there wasn't much separation from himself and the boy yelling his precious little lungs out. Sasuke's' eyes had widened into large circles as he stared in horror at the little blond child.

Orphan.

Fat tears flowed a steady stream out of electric blue eyes as the child cried frightened tears. His little fist squeezed tightly and balled up at his chest. His gaze was focused purely on Sasuke, watching his every move through the blur of tears. For a while they simply stared at each other. The child crying and whaling, Sasuke shocked to his core and at a lost of what to do.

He'd murdered savagely and left a child parentless in minutes. At his feet lay proof to the existence of his kind, two small punctured marks scarring the skin of a body completely drained of blood. The house had to be burned and –black eyes regarded the innocent blue of the beautiful child that he'd wronged- this child could not be inside of it when it happened.

He fought to calm his ever-raging nerves and nodded his head sharply and decisively. He gazed around the kitchen before moving to the nearest high cabinet –searching through its contents before moving on to the next one. He repeated this action a few times before he came across the one he'd been searching for. He picked at a few containers for a second before decided on one labeled cough syrup.

He opened the bottle as he made his way back to the child and stuck his finger inside the syrup. He gazed at the raging child for a long moment before he finally stuck his dripping finger inside the boy's mouth just far enough to reach the middle of his tongue. Blue eyes snapped shut in complete surprise, pouting lips closing around his finger on reflex.

It only took five minutes before the house was completely silent of anything but the television and the popping of burnt bacon on the stove as tan eyelids closed over tearful eyes and the child was out before he could take his finger out of his mouth.

The drugs effectively ended the child's living nightmare as it shut down his mind and faded his world into black.


	3. Chapter 2

There had been only one place that he could think to go while trying to find a fix to his situation. He had set the house up in flames and hadn't stayed a second to watch it burn but had made his merry way through the borders of Japan. He relished in the fact that he'd gained his full speed back at such a time because this time running was an option for escape. He could sprint past the civilians on the streets and they would be non the wiser of his presence unless they felt him breeze by.

In his arms –sheltered by a nest of blankets- was his orphan. He'd left the child to sleep in a rocker that he'd spotted in the family's living room and placed the blond into it as gently as he could before proceeding to go through the motions of covering up his tracks.

He had first went upstairs in searched of the nursery and had packed the bare essentials. Pampers, wipes, blankets, toys, pacifiers, and extra clothes were all piled into a large diaper bag. Whatever room was left was reserved to the many bottles of formula that he'd made by following the directions on the back of the box step by step.

He'd made good use of whatever types of oils that he could find in the kitchen and bathroom, and anything that read 'warning; highly flammable, and spread it around the home the best he could. He stood at the back door with the baby in one arm and the diaper bag thrown over his shoulder as he spared one last look at what was to be the child's past before dropping a match onto the carpet.

Sasuke had decided that bringing the child to America was inevitable. He didn't really care about what investigators would think of the fire. It was obviously murder. So long as those bodies burned good –and he'd made sure of that- he'd have no worries. They wouldn't know what to make of the child's disappearance, another miniscule detail that he could care less about, but what did concern him was the fact that the child was obviously full American if the bright blond hair, blue eyes and natural tan was anything to go by. He wanted to give the poor thing an actual chance and knew that he'd be better off around people that he could easily fit in with.

What to do with him when he got to America was what he was currently trying to figure out now as he ran at his fullest with hopes of getting to America in at least two days time, with a one night stop at an In for the child's sake. First thing was to get the boy an identity and he knew people who could do that for him. It was with those thoughts in mind that he pondered what would be the fastest route to Woolwine, Virginia.

oOoO

Sasuke had stopped counting time a long time ago. He saw no point in counting time, days, or years anymore because when someone had an endless supply of time on their hands it eventually became meaningless. He rose with the sun and settled with the sun; story of his life. So he'd never bothered with a watch and if it wasn't for time keeping it sure as hell wasn't going to be for the sake of style. He didn't bother with fashion. So long as he didn't roam around naked he could care less about what decorated his body. He kept clean clothes suitable to the weather as to not attract attention and kept it as simple that; Sequel to his life story. So he wasn't sure of when he'd arrived to his destination of Woolwine, Virginia exactly, or if it would be acceptable to show up on anyone's doorstep with such a situation at such a time, or at all for that matter.

Sasuke wasn't sure about a lot of things. Would the clan of vampires that he'd once belonged still reside in these areas? What would they think of him when they learned of his situation? Would they trust him? It was only as he was nearing the borders of Virginia that he'd thought to question his immediate plan. He had begun in the direction of a small forest that would lead him to a neighborhood of secluded mountain homes -with a squirming and restless infant on his hip- when he'd decided that it was best if they'd stay in a motel for the night and try for help in the morning.

It wasn't hard to find one though Sasuke supposed he might have looked a bit queer walking down long roads holding a child in his arms if the few stares that he'd received where anything to go by. He sighed in relief when he finally spotted a decent building labeled 'Good Ol Hospitality.' The lobby was empty of anyone except the lady at the clerk desk who looked to be in her mid forties sporting the maroon colors that decorated the inn.

She took to the child immediately. Cooing and making ridiculous faces at him trying to coax a smile out of the tiny human had become more of a duty than her job. "Oh he's so cute isn't he? Aren't you little fellow? Hi! Hi! Hi!" Blue eyes were alight with child like curiosity; Sasuke on the other hand found it all painfully annoying to watch. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic card to catch her attention.

He was almost ashamed when he'd had to stoop to stealing a man's credit card at a local shopping center a few states back. But he had no money on him and would be damned if he didn't provide the child a place to rest his head at night. That was how he had paid for his first hotel, for the simulac formula when the kid had ran out of milk, and admittedly just about anything that caught the child's interest whenever they'd stop at a store. And the account had yet to freeze on him.

Sasuke waited with baited breath as the clerk swiped the visa to put in his request for a room whilst she threw occasional puckered kisses at the baby who sat on his hip. A barely audible sigh was released when the card was finally handed back to him as the lady gave him direction to his room in a cheerful manner. He thanked her and was on his way.

It wasn't until he had gotten them to their room that he finally caught a glimpse at the time.

10:17 p.m.

He'd been right in his decision to wait for the night. His old clan lived like humans and it wouldn't do to show up at their doorstep so late. He gazed long and hard at the slobbering child lying on the only bed and sighed a long and burdened sigh. The boy was still a bit apprehensive about Sasuke. He had the feeling that he'd have noting to do with him at all if it wasn't clear to even the simplest of minds that Sasuke was all he had at the moment. He figured it might have been fear. Sasuke could only imagine the monster that he'd seen terrorizing his kitchen.

The elder sighed tiredly as he bent to scoop the child into his arms. Big blue eyes regarded him curiously for a moment before a tiny hand drenched with slobber reached out to swat at his nose. Sasuke frowned in distaste and stretched out his arms to hold the child at a distance. The little blond mimicked the slight tilt of Sasuke's lips, his little nose scrunched in displeasure as he reached out both his hands in an attempt to explore the unfamiliar face. "No that's disgusting."

He shook his head in two firm motions to make himself clear. A whimper escaped the child's mouth in what Sasuke had come to know as a warning. His parents might have spoiled the infant because he'd wail insistently if he weren't granted his every wish. In the end he'd given in figuring he had caused the child enough grief already even though he wasn't old enough to understand death, even though his mother might have stood in front of him to shield those innocent eyes from murder, Sasuke couldn't live with himself if he ever found himself being the cause of tears spilling out of those precious blue eyes.

So his face had been thoroughly drenched in slobber by the time he had finished going through the motions of grooming and feeding the child as he prepared them both for bed. He was out only moments after Sasuke laid him on his pillow. It only took a few gentle pats of encouragement before quiet snores would sync with the rising and falling of his chest.

Besides him Sasuke lay pondering on his long blonde eyelashes that rested along ruby tinted cheeks. Those small fist clenching the pillowcase, sunshine locks gliding across the fabric when he would snuggle his checks into its warmth. It made something in his heart stir. He almost felt important to know that he held something so precious in his care and would admit that a part of him was dreading the moment when he would have to part with the child.

Though maybe that was because he'd go back to having absolutely no purpose afterwards. With a heavy sigh Sasuke closed his eyes and evened out his breath as he tried to persuade his mind to shut down for some much needed sleep. But it wasn't for another hour that sleep finally claimed his troubled mind. Burdened by thoughts of the future.

oOoO

The next morning found Sasuke and his little blonde baggage trailing through the wide expanse of forest that leads to the mountain homes where he used to live. It wasn't long before the house came into view. It was a fairly large house, vintage in its build, but sturdy and very well maintained. Four large pillars led a path to the wide oak wood door that Sasuke now stood outside. He drew in a large breath before raising his fist and tapping his knuckles against the glass at the center of door. He was hardly surprised when it swung open barely a second after he'd made contact.

A large shadow loomed over his figure as a equally large man stepped up to the doorway. Grey eyes assessed the two males standing on his porch for a long while, curiosity shinning in their depths. "I was wondering when you'd finally find the galls to knock. You've been standing out here for at least five minutes." He stepped to side, tilting his head in invitation as he turned and walked into the house, his long white tresses swaying behind him. The raven adjusted the sleeping child on his shoulder as he closed the door behind him and followed his old friend down a long hallway that lead them inside the living room. "Well as you can see I have a bit of a dilemma and was trying to piece it all together in my mind before I could even think of how I would explain it to you."

Those grey eyes were immediately drawn back to tiny human who was happily drooling away on Sasuke's shirt. "I can't possibly imagine what you could have come up with." Both men turned at the sound of a new voice coming to them from their left. A tall busty blonde by the name of Tsunade walked over to them with her arms crossed over her large chest. She shared a look with her husband Jiraiya and then they were both eyeing the small child, a million questions in their gazes. Sasuke drew in a deep breath and let it out rather dramatically. "He has no parents...because of me." Shame and guilt clouded his tone. "I burned the house with the bodies inside."

He gave them simple explanation leaving the rest up to their imaginations. Tsunade nodded slowing in understanding. "He has no other family?" Sasuke shrugged. "Don't think so. He's defiantly American though he and his family were living out in Japan. I figure if they did have family they couldn't have been that close. Either way I couldn't just leave him in hopes that he did because if I assumed right then…"

"Then he'd be all alone." Jiraiya cut in nodding his head in understanding.

"Hn, I didn't exactly have time to make other arrangements for him. I could only think to bring him with me because one thing for sure is that they won't be looking for him here."

"And you want Shikamaru to make him a birth certificate?" Tsunade was quick to guess and Sasuke could appreciate that they were taking the time to try and understand and piece the solution to his situation.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes and from there I can find a random foster home to leave him with." Tsunade frowned and stepped forward, stretching her arms out for the child. Jiraiya turned down the hall she had come from with the intent of getting Shikamaru on the phone. When Sasuke had finally handed the child over and into Tsunade's much gentler arms he felt a huge relief wash through him as though a burden had been lifted.

He'd admit that he felt much better knowing that he wasn't alone in this any more. He sighed a tired sigh as he went to sit in the recliner adjacent to the large three seated couch in the middle of the room. He almost smiled to himself when he remembered all the times Jiraiya would banter with anyone who sat in this very seat years ago when he used to call himself apart of this family. In the back of his mind he idly wondered where the rest had wandered.

They had all lived in Virginia, none of them lingering too far from Wool Wine. Everyone had made a point of settling around Jiraiya and his wife after they had deliberately went out of their way to shelter them all when they were lost and bitter about their fate. The couple had showed them how to live as humans and eventually they'd all found themselves content, happy eventually, and after so many years of living they'd all eventually found love. All of them had found peace except for Sasuke of course.

A heavy hand colliding with the back of his head startled him out his musing. He jumped out of his seat hissing and glaring intently at the busty woman who'd struck him. She glanced down at the sleeping child to see that he wasn't disturbed before meeting Sasuke's glare with equal fever. "Where do you go off disappearing on us Uchiha! No warning no goodbyes! Had us all sick on your behalf!"

The young Uchiha was almost caught stuttering as he struggled to retort. He didn't know whether to be angry for being reprimanded like a child or touched that she cared more for him than he'd wanted to admit years ago before he left. Lucky for him he was saved from having to answer when the bundle of blue and yellow began to stir in Tsunade's arms. The child's mouth opened wide in a tired yawn, his little arms stretching out in front of him, and his blue eyes blinking away sleep as he took in his surroundings. Tsunade adjusted the boy a bit for his comfort, a small smile tilting her lips as she watched him adoringly.

"Hey there." Blue eyes widened in alarm at the unfamiliar voice before snapping up to face the hazel's starring back at him. A frowned marred his pouting lips as the boy began searching around the room frantically with his eyes. His blond tresses swayed every which way and Sasuke was surprised to find that his search ended when those eyes landed on him.

A loud wailing summoned Jiraiya back into the room in his eagerness to sate his curiosity about the human who Sasuke had momentarily brought into their lives. Tsunade's head tilted in wonder as the child squirmed in her hold, his little fingers flexing as they reached out for Sasuke.

"Would you look at that? He's attached to you. Who would have thought that Sasuke would be so good with children?" Said Uchiha's eyes widened in slight alarm when Tsunade simply shrugged and carded the baby back into his arms, the crying ceasing immediately.

"It's only been two days." It wouldn't do for the child to be attached to him when they might have had only a day or so left to be in each other's company.

"Yes and for two days you've been all that he's known. He's been exposed to a new country, new sceneries, and new faces. For two days the only thing that's been consistent has been you. You're barely even a stranger." Tsunade frowned as she gazed at the child in sympathy. "It's going to be an heart breaking experience when you desert him." Her tone of voice, her eyes, her words were all accusing.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "It has to be done regardless. There's no other option."

"There are always options Sasuke." He frowned deeply already knowing where she was going with this. "You've lost you mind completely if you're suggesting what I think you are." He gave her a long pointed look as if expecting her to deny his assumption. She simply stared back and that was all the answer he needed. He strolled up to her with -his gaze cold and unwavering- and held the child up to her face. He studied her with a slight turn of his head to eye her in a manner that was almost condescending. He pushed the baby even closer. Her nose wrinkled and before she had even known what she was doing she had taken a step back.

Sasuke's answering smirk was cold –damn near artic- and if Tsunade were human she was sure her arms would be breaking out in goose bumps. She almost forgot how intimidating Sasuke could be but was quick to be reminded. When Jiraiya had first welcomed the loner into their home, the others had been a little weary of him. The man's entire persona was intimidating from his dark features, his strong but lithe build, and the elegance and grace portrayed in every single precise move that he made. Sasuke was precise at everything especially in his instincts. He was the perfect hunter and the perfect killer. And if that wasn't enough to intimidate the few of them who had less experience in a vampire's natural savage way of living. It was only a bit more disconcerting when one witnessed the sheer dizzying speeds that the Uchiha could travel that guaranteed no escape.

Sasuke was defiantly more deadly than most and at first Tsnade had been a bit reluctant to take him in but Jiraiya was unbothered by the man's aloofness and was unyielding. Over time though, they were able to take Sasuke's impassionate demeanor for what it was. The man was lonely. Of course there was more to it but the Uchiha was a puzzle that they weren't going to pretend to understand. They only accepted him for what he was and eventually warmed up to him.

Of course now, as Tsunade starred into that cold ebony gaze, she couldn't help but be reminded of the time where they all had to question Sasuke's sanity. Because the slight tilt to the boy's lips at that moment, wasn't entirely sane.

"You have no idea of just how badly I've wanted to rip into his throat for the past few hours. My last feed, it's wearing off. And even you with your constant access to blood cannot deny him. Hazel eyes narrowed dangerously in denial but she just couldn't stop them from traveling to where she knew the boy's pulse pumped under the cotton blue onesie that he wore. To be completely honest, that strange mixture of warm honey and green apples was strangely appealing and it forced her to exercise a bit of that self-discipline that she'd installed in herself in her many years of walking dead.

But as her eyes roamed their way back to the dark being holding him she could tell that the scent and the allure was something else to Sasuke completely. His nostrils flared as he breathed in a deed and suffering sigh. A growl brew deep in Sasuke's chest immediately catching the child's attention that had previously been on the little fingers that sat collecting slobber in the boy's mouth. He squirmed and strained his neck trying to look behind himself to determine where the noise had come from; his blue eyes alight with curiosity.

"I don't know what the hell this kid is made of but damn if I've ever come across anything that smelt so divine." He scowled hatefully and Tsunade was tempted to grab the baby out of his arms. She would have done it to, but then those pale lids were closing over hazy onyx and they stayed that way for a full minute -much to the child's impatience- before they lifted to show that Sasuke had gotten himself under control.

He sighed again –a burdened sigh- before pulling the fussy child into a gentler embrace against his chest. He looked down into those blue eyes and shook his head wearily as the boy began to suck on his own knuckles. Tsunade watched the two, pride swelling her chest as she witnessed Sasuke suppress his most urgent need in place of an even higher priority. Keeping that child safe and well.

"I will admit, even with all of my practice he can be a bit... tempting. But you're stubborn enough to resist him out of sheer will if I provide you with a consistent supply of blood. Here the Uchiha was starting to get irritated that Tsunade was genuinely pushing this idea. The fact that she could hold true to her word of a consistent feeding due to her actually owning the town's main emergency hospital didn't apply to Sasuke and his many obvious reasons of being so against raising a human child.

He shook his head as if to dismiss the conversation actually getting that message across as he turned his back to her in search of the baby blue diaper bag he had come in with. He completely disregarded the piercing glare that he could literally feel being aimed at the back of his head. "If you think that dismissing me is going to equal to you dismissing your problems Uchiha-"

"-I'm not dismissing you I am simply taking him upstairs so that I may change and feed him, he's hungry," said Uchiha interrupted.

A frown of slight disbelief and suspicion marred her ageless face. "I haven't heard a single cry out of him to suggest that he's hungry. That's a shit ex-"

"-He is sucking on his knuckles," Sasuke interrupted again. "That means that he's hungry and if I don't feed him soon we'll all be getting an earful." He grabbed the bag off of the edge of the coffee table that sat in middle of the large room before making a full 360 on his heels in the direction of the stairway that led to the guest bedrooms.

"Sasuke do you hear yourself," she breathed as he passed her. "A couple of days in each others company, and considering the fact that he had no one else at this point, you already know him better than anyone."

Sasuke sighed tiredly but kept on walking by not stopping until his left foot landed on the first step. "Tsunade, a vampire can not raise a human child. I am not father material. I cannot parent him nor will I ever be able to provide him a mother. He deserves parents; normal human parents and he should belong to a normal human family. This family is not normal. If I settled down and allowed this child into my life then consequently, he'd have to be surrounded by of all the vampires that have attached themselves to you and your husband. I would be putting his life in jeopardy every day not just with the test of my own will but everyone else's also. You all sit here and you pretend to be something you are not. Me, I face the reality of the situation. We are monsters that fact is to not be overlooked. I haven't overlooked it and as he grows older he'll grow suspicious and he wont over look it himself. Where would we go from there? How would he handle the knowledge that his whole life has been full of secrets and lies? I will not do that to him and if you are so cruel that you'd be willing to subject him to such a life then you should keep him for yourself."

And with that he had disappeared from their sight in less time than it took for them to blink. Tsunade was left to stare after him in frustration for only a second before she turned troubled eyes to her husband who had been silent this entire time. He gazed back at her levelly and could tell that she was frustrated that all of her efforts had gotten her nowhere. "You must have a reason as to why you are so insistent with this." He wondered aloud. "Would you like to share?"

His wife sighed wistfully before moving to sit next to him on the couch.

"Its just that… I don't know what it is in his past that he's holding on to but I do know is that Sasuke is lonely." A scowl pulled at her lips, "stubborn, down right rude and arrogant, but still lonely. And that child, he's alone. I think that under all that indifference Sasuke has a lot of love to give. I think that if he'd just consider it then he would realize that he could love that child a hundred times more intense than anyone else could. And with Sasuke being all that he has at this point I think it would be good for Sasuke if he could have that child's full and undivided attention. Everyone else has found themselves someone to call our own." Here Jiraiya gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "It would do him a lot of good if Sasuke could have something to call his own to."

Jiraiya nodded his head slowly as he took in and considered everything that she had said. "I can understand your point but at the same time I can defiantly understand his also. There's a lot of backlash that can come with what you are proposing. It's an enormous risk for him to take and it's his risk alone. If he decides to take it it'll have to be by his own means and not your own."

Hazel eyes bore hard into the grays of her husband's, her scowl deepening.  
"How inconvenient is it that you decide to be uncharacteristically wise at this exact moment when I need it less."

Her gaze immediately softened though when a all too familiar grin stretched his lips wide as he gazed back at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "You're talking about me acting out of character?" He almost laughed when her eyebrow gave an irritated twitched as he jabbed his pointer finger in the middle of her chest.

"Who knew that under all that bust, there was a heart buried deep-"

*Poke*

"deep."

*Poke*

"Deeeeeeep!"

*Poke poke poke poke poke*

From the corner of his eyes he could see her left hand curling into a fist, her eyebrow now twitching at an alarming rate. His grin widened even more to the point where his eyes were forced to squeeze shut, and nervous but genuine chuckle flowed from his lips. In his head he started a slow count down from three before he was up and speeding his way around furniture, his wife hot on his ass.


	4. Chapter 3

It was only twenty minutes later that the three elder occupants of the home heard the sound of tires pulling into the driveway. Sasuke's keen ears listened intently to the sounds of a engine dying, a single door being pushed open and closed shut, keys being shuffled, and light footsteps walking along the pavement.

He was more than a little relieved to find that Shikamaru had come alone. He wasn't exactly sure if he would be staying here once this was over though, he knew it would be best that he did. He considered the promise of being relived from his throat parching thirst permanently without actually having to kill to be sated. One would never know that under that dispassionate façade Sasuke wore to perfection, there was compassion and a torrent of raging emotion that always threatened to better him whenever he fell weak to his primal need.

Whatever his decision though, he wanted to be absolutely sure of it before he barged his way into these peoples lives again so the less that knew of him being here the better.

Sasuke scowled, slightly annoyed as he had to try and gently pry little tan fingers from around one of his own for what had the hundredth time since encountering the tiny human. The little tike had taken favor to Sasuke's fingers in place of his own as a chew toy and it was always a pain trying to loosen his hold without hurting the fragile being. The two had been lounging peacefully in the middle of the queen size bed that Jiraiya and Tsunade offered to their guest in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs.

Sasuke took great interest in simply watching the child in all his simplemindedness as his very short attention span wandered from one object to another. In fact the only thing that seemed to keep the child's interest for any length of time was Sasuke himself. Like now, he seemed to be taking great fun in wrestling his exact opposite for the long index finger that he was just itching to drench in slobber.

The elder shook his head in exasperation but inwardly his was more than a little amused at the squeal of innocent laughter that wrung bells around the spacious room. Sasuke sighed and sat up, lifting the small child with him as he prepared to head downstairs to face the inevitable. "Come on blue eyes. We'd better go a build you an identity. I'm sure you miss having an actual name." Said blue eyes lit up in recognition of the little pet name that Sasuke had taken to calling him for the lack of the boy's actual name.

Blue Eyes grinned at him with the few teeth that he actually had, two little white pearls protruding from his gums at the very front of his mouth. Sasuke almost felt obligated to return that smile but fought the twitch of his lips as he made his way out the room and to the banister that looked out over the living area.

Familiar brown eyes lifted to peer over the rail at Sasuke's swift entrance, gazing up at him along with Tsunade and Jiraiya from where they stood exchanging pleasantries in the living room. All conversation ceased immediately as the three occupant's attention shifted immediately the blabbering child who had given up in his battle for Sasuke's finger and raged a new one with the collar of the man's white button up shirt.

Shikamaru Nara's usually bored eyes sparked with interest as he took in the child, a second later and they were dilating in lust. Sasuke tensed immediately, every single bone in his body locked and readied in preparation to either defend or attack as he glared murder at his old friend with cold unwavering eyes. He wasn't even aware that the usual hard onyx had bled into bloody red until a red tint suddenly made its self visible around his vision. Every last instinct was on high alert.

It surprised him. His grip tightened on the oblivious child in his arms as he gave into this insufferable urge to protect at any and all cost. The feeling was more deeply enrooted than instinct and never has his instincts told him to risk his own being -vampires we're beings that were bred to live strictly for self- for another.

Apparently it was surprising for Shikamaru to because the murder intent reeking from the other was enough to pull him wearily back into his bearings. His own instincts were telling him that the feed wasn't entirely worth his safety especially considering the fact that he wasn't even thirsty. Tsunade supplied them all. So it was with a receding growl that he moved his eyes from the child and leveled them evenly onto Sasuke's own in an attempt to placate the man even going so far as far to take a step back.

Dark bangs swayed with the tilt of the Uchiha's head as his sharp eyes followed the movement, followed every move that Shikamaru made. He didn't spare the other two either; in the back of his mind he was very conscious of the two other occupants below him. Jiraiya frowned but waited patiently as those red eyes slowly receded back to stony onyx. Of all of them Jiraiya had the most faith in Sasuke, there was only a select few of his makeshift family that did not feel the need to be cautious of every single one of the Uchiha's mood swings. Sasuke was quite the intimidator.

"I do apologize Sasuke. It has been a while since I've come across a human who could prove a challenge to my self-restraint. I mean him no harm." The Uchiha, now fully composed but still a bit weary eyed the other man as he slowly –very slowly- moved to descend the stairs. "Brace yourself." He growled lowly, the hint of a threat in his voice.

He watched as Shikamaru nodded before he finally made the decline but not before pulling Blue Eyes tighter to his chest. When he made it into the living room he'd literally walked to a corner farthest from the furniture arrangement and sat in it with the intent of distancing the child from Shikamaru. He pulled Blue Eyes into his lap and secured him there in his arms, satisfied that those brown eyes hadn't strayed back to the blond's form.

He might have felt just a little, tiny, miniscule guilt at his actions but couldn't actually bring himself to be sorry. Sure he could sympathize with his friend and maybe he should have warmed him of the child's influence before he'd exposed him to it, but still he would not allow any slip-ups when it came to Blue Eyes' safety.

Still though, Sasuke was all too familiar with the intense burn of a parched throat. He himself had suffered through the stabbing sensation of his fangs desperately pleading to be freed from his gums. It was consistent and nagging and never-fucking-ending, hell he was suffering this very moment but there was something about those azure pools that kept his lust at bay. That forbids even the thought of delivering harm to something so precious.

And maybe Sasuke was the only one who'd caught himself drowning so desperately into those waters that he was able to exercise his self control past it's normal limits, but he'd be the one to come between anyone who didn't feel the same. Who didn't know the boy as well as he had learned in their shorts days together. While Blue Eyes was in his care, no harm would come to this child.

Still though he sent a small nod to his old friend in an attempt to reconcile. Shikamaru had his needs, even Jiraiya and Tsunade –the best of them- had to trail cautiously when it came to the little human that tempted them with his tantalizing mixture of sweet honey and red apples.

Shikamaru only sighed deeply –cautious on the inhale- before shaking his head tiredly as he moved to sit in an armchair that already seated his laptop. "I would say that I'm happy to see you Sasuke but then I'd be stretching it. You were always a troublesome one." He sighed again as he settled his tall frame into the chair and lifted one hand to tug at the brown strands that he kept up in a high ponytail, the other hand moving to adjust his computer on his lap.

No offense was taken to the jab. Pale lips twitched only slightly before Sasuke had schooled his features back into his indifferent mask.

"Hn."

"Hn." Shikamaru mocked with a scoff. He opened the laptop, waiting only a couple of seconds for it to load before his finger were busy typing away at impossible speeds. "You up and leave with absolutely no warning, leaving me to run YOUR company and besides Kakashi's bothersome ass at that. Then you come back with a human child in your care and ask me to break my way into the system illegally to give the boy a whole new identity. To top it all off you were one move away from attempting to rip out my throat and all I get is a damn-" Here he scowled. "-Hn."

Onyx eyes made a full three sixty in mock exasperation. If there was one thing that the passive brunet wasn't too lazy to do it was to complain. Shikamaru had an eternity of life ahead of him and if it were up to him he'd spend it with his lover –Sai- watching the clouds go by until the sky darkened permanently to foreshadow the end of the world. But sadly Shikamaru lived in a commercial world where he had to work that genius mind of his for a living. He couldn't laze about like he wanted to so he simply complained to anyone who'd listen to soothe the hurt.

"One, you find yourself hacking government files frequently to prevent suspicion that could threaten the pretentious life that you all live. Two, there was no attempt because if I was going to make an attempt to rip out your throat, Tsunade would have me cleaning the carpet this very moment." 

The lazy brunet simply shrugged his shoulders. One learned not to play the jest game with Sasuke if one couldn't handle it. Luckily for him Shikamaru wasn't at all sensitive. "Ouch. Still an ass then Sasuke?"

"You'd be disappointed if I said no." Nara's attempt at hindering the tilting of his lips went in vain and he couldn't help but flash his companion a lazy grin. The Uchiha was always great fun without having to try hard to be, without having to try at all actually. Shikamaru found his attitude to be amusing.

It was even more amusing when Kakashi –a rather strange member of their collective family- would make it his personal mission to annoy the living hell out the antisocial Uchiha. Kakashi harbored no fear of Sasuke, a fact that wounded the bastard's pride. To Shikamaru the whole thing was a sitcom and he looked forward to witnessing the moment when the two would reunite.

…Considering that the Uchiha was planning to stay that long.

"Am I writing you into the system also? Jiraiya mentioned that you intend to part with the child." Shikamaru let his gaze drift back to child in Sasuke's lap, albeit a little cautiously seeing that Jiraiya and Tsunade had left the room a while ago and he didn't want the Uchiha flipping out on him again, forcing an altercation between the two that the couple wouldn't have time to stop.

He risked it anyway, trusting that Sasuke might have a bit more faith in him, and was surprised to find those blue eyes already trained on him. Or rather they were trained on the laptop that he was holding. Interest was obvious to decipher in those deep azure pools along with curiosity. It seemed thought that the ignorant being was at least intelligent enough to understand that there was too much distance between him and his object of attraction to gift it much attention.

In a second his interest had shifted from the MacBook and onto the man holding him. He shuffled his little body whichever way until he had turned to face his darker companion and wasted no time in reaching determinedly for the raven bangs just within his grasp.

Shikamaru was more than a little intrigued to watch the interaction between the two. Perceptive brown eyes taking in the slight downward tilt of Sasuke's lips as he turned his head slightly to keep his hair from the child's wandering hands. The little tike was far from a quitter though. The challenge seemed to warrant excitement for the child if the lighting of his tawny features and renewed vigor to his attempts were anything to go by.

Sasuke's frown deepened as he held the child at arms length. He leveled the tiny being with a weary gaze that softened considerably when the child burst out into a contagious fit of giggles. Shikamaru was reminded of the chipper sound of Christmas bells in December.

"Yea," Sasuke answered dolefully and Shikamaru had to wonder in the Uchiha was even aware of the woeful tone of his own voice. "I'm going to find him a nice family and send him on his way." He pinned that dark gaze on the brunet as he continued. "As for me… I'm not entirely sure yet but, I've been thinking of settling around the area again. I could use the blood and maybe it wouldn't hurt to check in on him every now and then. Make sure he's taken care of properly."

Shikamaru nodded understandingly and then redirected his attention to the computer screen and their task at hand. The sound of his fingers dancing along the keyboard, Sasuke relaying any details that Shikamaru might have needed in his search, and Blue Eyes' occasional mindless babbling were the only sound's to be heard for a short while.

"It was actually pretty easy to find his identity. I simply monitored Nagoya's news feed from the short time before and after your-" He searched carefully for the appropriate word. "-Incident. Since yesterday they've successfully identified the bodies of Minato and Kushina Namikaze."

Sasuke nodded slowly, not entirely sure of how he felt about putting an actually name and identity to the human lives that he'd effectively ruined. He nodded once more signaling for Shikamaru to continue. "From there I simply accessed their permanent records since they wouldn't actually put a name to the missing child yet and found that Kushina gave birth to a baby boy six months ago on the tenth of October. His name is…"

He lifted his eyes to appraise the surprisingly placid child nestled in Sasuke's lap with a slight smile. "Naruto. Naruto Namikaze." Putting a name to the child had a different, more positive affect on the Uchiha. Those dark orbs widened for only a split second before a rare and gentle smile graced his pale features. He tested the name on his own tongue. "Naruto."

He studied the soft features of the boy's face, watching in fascination as recognition of the name passed over his visage. "What a strange name. Fitting though as you are very strange yourself… Naruto. Of course nothing could be more fitting than to call you blue eyes for obvious reasons."

A gratifying feeling of warmth fluttered in his chest at the almost toothless grin that he received for his conversation. The child –Naruto- would always grace him the softest of smiles whenever he was able to draw out that gentle side of Sasuke in a way that apparently only he could. "Or perhaps," continued Sasuke, "It would be more fitting to call you angel… for obvious reasons."

"Sasuke?"

The Uchiha's gaze snapped up to meet Shikamaru's own intense one. Having being caught up in such a moment of emotional vulnerability, he had forgotten the other man's presence entirely. Naruto definitely wasn't good for his reputation.

"Are you sure that this is what you want? Because as soon as he's in the arms of another family its going be to much a hazard to even consider getting him back. I can cook up birth records any day but I can not erase memories."

A firm line stretched out Sasuke's pale lips tightening the strong structure of his jaw. "Of course I'm sure Nara. What other option is there?" The skin above Shikamaru's brows wrinkled as he took in the defensive tone of Sasuke's voice. "It wouldn't shame or kill you to admit that you feel for the child. No use in denying it after the many different sides to yourself that you've introduced to us today. You just called him an angel for God's sake."

"Well that was on account of me forgetting that you were sitting there listening. You tell no one."

Shikamaru smiled lightly. "He's obviously attached himself to you." Sasuke nodded while casting the gentlest look that he'd ever witness to pass over those pale features to the baby Naruto in his arms. "Which is entirely the reason why I have to make the decision that's best for him."

His decision was final, that much was apparent to the brunet who saw no point in trying to reason with him. The truth was that Sasuke was right anyway. He was not what Naruto needed. He was the exact opposite of what was best for the child. "Okay then." Nara rose swiftly from his seat and tucked his computer under his arms as he prepared to leave. "I'll have the documents here for you tomorrow. The next step after that would be to find him a nice family. The last thing you would want is for him to fall victim to the system."

Sasuke nodded and stood with him, walking over to him –still a bit cautious of Naruto's influence- to shake his hand appreciatively. Shikamaru actually had to stop breathing completely as the child was brought closer. It was a wonder that the Uchiha hadn't lost his sanity by now with all his time spent with the boy.

The three males soon found themselves out on the porch, Shikamaru walking towards his car and wondering where his companion planned on going at seeing his walking in the opposite direction.

"Nara?" Shikamaru paused with his hand on the door handle. "What's happened to my old house?"

"Well it's only been blank years since you've been away so technically you're not dead yet and ownership rights are still yours. It's still sitting there where you left it. Definitely not livable though." And with that the lazy brunet was speeding off down the road.

Sasuke watched him go until the car had disappeared around the corner. He sighed and turned his attention back to Naruto, adjusting him to lie nestled in one arm. "How bout you and I take a walk hum?" He made his way around the fence that led into Jiraiya's backyard and hopped it easily in one smooth jump before making his way to the back of the home.

Their house up here in the mountains was nothing too different from the typical neighborhood with houses lined up side by side in rows. The Sennin couple actually lived in the very last row at the top of the hilly area. Behind the gated 2000 square feet of land that bordered their property was nothing but deep forest.

It was about a mile and a half into the maze of green that the apparent endless number of adult trees diminished significantly into a more open area. There on the west side of the mountains was a neighborhood of more secluded homes. One couldn't actually say that they had neighbors living out here because of the sheer amount of acres that some owners purchased for the sake of their private living.

Sasuke was definitely as man who enjoyed his privacy, having owned half a football field of this property himself when he'd lived here. Apparently according to Shikamaru this 28,800 square feet of greenery was still his. He could remember when on occasion he would stop by the Sennin's home from his own by foot through the forest. For someone of his nature, the mile and a half distance was a walk in the park that Sasuke had made frequently enough that he'd become more familiar with using their back porch door than their front.

He had watched in fascination as Naruto expressed his own as Sasuke practically flew through the forest, dogging tress effortlessly, until soon they had reached the raven's desired destination. He was always interested to witness those azure eyes dart around almost frantically in wonder as he watched the world pass in a blur of color. The child seemed almost dizzy when they came to a smooth stop and his world came back into focus.

What he saw next didn't impress even his simple little mind. His nose scrunched up in distaste as he eyed the old and pathetic ruin of what was a decaying house. It defiantly stood out amongst the old tress that littered the otherwise open area. Though it was true that Sasuke owned a large portion of land he had relented with nature and had only cut down a few trees to make room for the small house that he used to occupy. He didn't exactly need much room for just himself.

It was a small, one story, white –or at least it used to be white- wooden home that once had been beautiful in its simplicity. Now though it looked to be barely standing on its own and Sasuke worried that it might actually fall into the slight descend of the hilly area without immediate support. He couldn't even be offended that Naruto of all people was looking down his nose at something he couldn't even understand. The exterior looked like shit and he could only shudder in imagining how the inside might have looked.

It didn't matter though because he hadn't come here to access what Shikamaru had already deemed unlivable. To the south and east of the small home there was significantly more tress lined so closely together that they pretty much blocked the view of what lie beyond them. The calming sound of rushing water reached his keen ears and reminded him of exactly why he'd come here. Because he had emerged from woods in the back of the home, he was already south of the building and only had to turn left to set off into the very slight opening in the trees that could only allow one-person passage at a time.

Sasuke only had to walk a few feet before the gentle swishing sounds of water reached Naruto's ears, grabbing his attention immediately. A sense of ease and familiarity swelled in his chest as the sounds, smells, and sights as this one particular miracle of nature washed through him. He feasted his obsidian gaze on the beautiful mountain stream that twisted its way here a there down the long hill.

Being higher up the mountain granted Sasuke a lovely view of watching the rushing water weave its way around and in between large boulder whilst running over smaller rocks and pebbles. A gentle breeze swayed strands of yellow and black simultaneously and Sasuke suddenly found himself overwhelmed with the scent of pine and the natural aroma of the leaves and wood that surrounded them.

A sudden weight lifted from his chest replaced by nolgastic warmth. This place, from the moment that Sasuke had laid eyes on it has been his favorite of any he'd ever come across in his extended lifetime. And to brighten his mood even more it only took reminding that he owned this particular piece of land to ship him to cloud nine. His property rights extended to this portion of the beautiful gift of nature. And besides the occasional interest from the rare visits that his clan made to his property, he didn't really care to share this place with anyone else.

But as he finally turned his appraising eyes away from the stream and to the child in his arms, for the first time the grace of nature found itself competing for Sasuke's attention. Naruto's charm, as he marveled along side of Sasuke with those wide blue eyes full of fascination and mouth formed in a small O, was a force to be reckoned with. Blue Eyes was definitely a beauty worthy of Sasuke's rarely given affection. He could clearly imagine sitting out here everyday on one of the large stones in the mist of bustling water. Blue Eyes would be sitting on his lap eyes alight with childish curiosity as he took in the ever-going flow of water. The wind would blow a gentle breeze through his sunshine locks bringing with it the smell of honey, sweet apples, and pine.

Sasuke sighed wistfully as he moved to an ideal stone to sit with the hopes of living out that fantasy just this once. The blood lust still remained along with the truth that this couldn't be possible along with other complications. Those apples and pools of honey brought pains to him that pine never would. So while he was able to treasure one… the fate of the other was left for questioning.

Sasuke had finally found an angel to bare him through this hell that he lived and hated every second,

of every minute,

of every hour,

of every day,

of every month,

of every year,

of every decade.

Too bad.

He couldn't even keep him.


	5. Chapter 4

Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi. That was what was written on the small square fold of paper tucked in between two of Sasuke's long nimble fingers. Under that was an address written out in Tsunade's elegant penmanship.

Sitting besides him on the beige and white square patterned comforter decorating the queen size bed in the Sennin's guest room was Naruto. His chubby little legs were kicking out frantically in excitement as his hands swatted at the paper in Sasuke's hands repeatedly.

He couldn't actually jump out to reach the piece that was just out of his arm span because he was still a bit unstable on his own bum. The few times that he had tried he would just topple over in one clumsy heap. Sasuke found it absolutely adorable.

He stared adoringly at the child in a way that was completely obsessive. He reached out a hand behind the child and pulled a baby blue pacifier from out behind him before plopping it into the boy's mouth. Naruto accepted it willing, sucking on it in a frenzy until it was settled between his lips.

Sasuke sucked in a breath and was immediately reminded of the sandpaper lounged in his throat as he was hit with the boy's scent. It went ignored though in his favor of witnessing something a million times more pleasant. The way that those large blue eyes would grow seemingly larger with the bottom half of Naruto's face covered over.

It was almost sickening, how sweet the sight was. If it were possible for his kind to develop cavities, the Uchiha was sure to have them from simply watching the boy. Those alluring azure treasures were quick to read the obvious affection swimming in his eyes and when he smiled sweetly up at him from behind the pacifier; Sasuke figured he should probably be more concerned with diabetes.

What an angel.

Naruto's smile grew larger as he tilted his head back to stare up at the raven haired male playfully. Unfortunately for the blond though, he still had to get used to balancing all of his weight and soon he was toppling over until his back.

Giggles filled the room, Blue Eyes laughing at his own expense. Sasuke couldn't help but smile along. With a little twisting an turning, he'd eventually pulled himself into a sitting position again. The paper in Sasuke's grasp was back to his attention.

The smile on the Uchiha's pale lips slowly morphed back into his usual frown of indifference as he was reminded of the sheet. "You want this?" Tiny hands wrapping around his arm in an insistent attempt to bring the hand attached to his level was answer enough.

"Here." The Uchiha handed the child the paper. "They're yours anyway. That's your new family and right under that is your new home." Tsunade had found them for him. The wife –Kurenia- was infertile, something that Tsunade had learned from her volunteer time at her hospital. From what she could read they were good people who had so much love to give to a child.

Sasuke was in no way or shape a pacifist. Life handed out lemons for free and you had to take them how they came. He didn't sympathize with this family in the least and didn't care that one would deem him heartless. Jealousy was rearing its ugly green head and Sasuke found himself reluctant to give them his child.

He sighed in defeat as he turned his attention back to said child. He smiled slightly as he reached out to recue the sheet of paper from being drenched in Naruto's slobber. "No." Naruto's face scrunched immediately in displeasure but was soothed quickly by Sasuke replacing his pacifier.

Regardless of his own feelings, he was selfless enough to admit that this wasn't about him, or the Sarutobi for that matter. This was what was best for Naruto and that came above anything else. The Uchiha's hurt was slightly dulled by the fact that the family stayed a little over a mile away not in the mountains but in town. He'd be close enough to exercise his obsession over the child from time to time.

He would linger in the shadows and watch the boy grow,

learn,

love,

live,

…die.

Sasuke thought he could be content with that.

.

Shikamaru had come over a good five hours earlier. The time now was 12:21 a.m. and Sasuke had yet to deliver Naruto to Tsunade's given address. He decided that he'd better stop procrastinating now before latter never came.

Naruto was fast asleep, lying in a bundle of blue blankets stuffed inside of a laundry basket. Or maybe he should get used to calling the boy by his new name.

Issac McCall.

Just the sound of it was enough to make Sasuke scowl. It didn't fit, but there it was printed boldly on the birth certificate tucked away in the front pocket of the diaper bag slung around his left shoulder. He sucked in one last long and troubled breath and was almost sorry that it would be the last time that Naruto's –he refused to call him by any false name- scent would tempt and torture him. He savored the burning pain in his throat, welcomed the sting in his gums, and simply bathe himself in the scent of warm honey and apples.

For one last time.

.

The neighborhood was nice. Houses of all shapes and varying sizes lined the long street, the streetlights casting his shadow across the pavement. Jiraiya's car was parked just around the corner waiting for him to return –without Naruto- to make his escape without giving the Sarutobis a chance to see him speed off.

In his arms was the basket that held the restless child. Sasuke could guess that sleeping in a basket couldn't be too comfortable. Reaching his destination, the Uchiha shook his head and almost laughed out loud as he easily hopped over a white picket fence. Tsunade had definitely scored big with this family.

The three short steps that he had to climb to stand on the porch proofed to be a hard feat as if weights had attached themselves around his ankles. Setting the basket to rest gently on the concrete was no easier. So busy was he in working up the courage to actually ring the bell that he didn't notice the fluttering of tan lids behind him; his eyes fixed pointedly on the white painted door. Without giving himself any more time to procrastinate he lifted his finger and rang the bell once, twice.

It might have broken his heart if he a had spared a glance

It was as he was preparing to ring the doorbell, had literally raised his arm and extended his pointer finger that he heard it. His hand had flinched back immediately as the sound of that increasingly familiar whimpering reached his ears. His dark eyes instantly shot down to the watering blues starring up at him from behind loose strands of gold. They were huge, wide open and shimmering with unshed tears as they bored into Sasuke's soul trying to communicate to him what the child couldn't in words. Sasuke couldn't help but to imagine that those blue eyes were accusing him of betrayal. He couldn't help but think that there was some hurt in the mixture of emotions swirling in those eyes but would not be deterred because that would be ridiculous. It was silly to think that a child of only six months could comprehend the situation at hand. He could not comprehend what it even meant to be betrayed. Give him a month and he probably wouldn't even remember that Sasuke had ever existed. He wouldn't remember ever being abandoned… Yet Sasuke still felt the need to explain.

"This is easily the better solution for the both of us." He ran a hand through his midnight tresses and tried to ignore how his heart clenched painfully when those chubby hands reached out for him and how the child let out an irritable growl of frustration as his wishes went ignored. The tears were starting to flow and he knew it was only a matter of time before the child was stressing his vocals in full on wailing.

"I'm absolutely no good for you Naruto but these people… They're good people. I'm sure that they'll be the best thing for you. That's the least that I could do for you. Provide you with a loving family in a – Naruto!" He started as the child -who had been rolling over in a vain attempt to sit up and move himself closer- pushed up against the side of the basket causing it to tip over the edge of the slight rise in concrete that made up the porch. Sasuke caught him just as the basket went tumbling down and grabbed the boy straight out of it.

"Dammit Naruto!" He reprimanded not caring to admit that most of his anger stirred from the scare of the child having almost hurt himself. Regret replaced the anger immediately though when the blond began to wail. feelings obviously hurt by Sasuke's tone. "Shh shh. Don't do that Naruto. Shh you're going to wake them." Then he thought about how the request didn't make any sense when the whole point was to get the family's attention in the first place.

"Shh don't cry Blue Eyes I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He cradled the child on his shoulders and tried not to think about the weight of the child's head resting in neck being familiar already, that he'd actually kind of miss it, and that the moment was taking as much as a toll on his emotions as it was the crying child in his arms. He carded his fingers through the thick mess of Naruto's tresses and patted him on the back while rocking him comfortingly.

"I'm sorry for everything Naruto. I took everything from you and here I am trying to give it all back and you're making it very difficult. Can't you understand? I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this for us because if I were to harm you… I could never live with myself. Hell Naruto I can barely live with myself now. Now would you please just stop crying" He could hear restless shuffling coming from the upstairs bedroom.

He buried the child closer and breathed in his scent through his hair igniting a hunger that even after all his years of experience was still proving to be a struggle to contain. It was all very conflicting because despite the risk, the simple act of bringing Naruto closer still managed to persuade an awaking to Sasuke's barren heart. He had grown affections for the boy that he couldn't deny. His heart began to hammer in his chest when he heard the sound of feet padding their way over to where he figured the stairway would be from somewhere inside the home they stood outside. Confused and frantic mummers were coming from within.

Quickly he bent over and retrieved the basket from where it had fallen to soft grass of the family's lawn and straightened it back up with the intent on placing the child back in. He took one last look at the child, holding him at arms length, watching the red faced blonde tantrum. "I'm no good for you Naruto. I can't give you what you need. You have to understand."

Of course he didn't understand. He stuck his little arms out, swatting at Sasuke's face insistently trying to communicate that he wanted to be closer. And when Sasuke finally obliged, he put those warm hands to Sasuke's cheeks –batting at them insistently- before pulling them back to bury them in his shirt and pull himself against the man's chest.

"I cant be selfish… not with you… I can't be selfish." He shook his head firmly -mouth set in one stern line- and bent down to place the baby back into the basket at his feet. He listened to the sounds of Naruto's heart wrenching sobs with a steadily growing weight in his heart. He reached out one pale hand and brought it to gently thumb away fat tears and just as the lock clicked to the front door he risked one last glance into those incredible blue orbs.

And found himself drowning in them helplessly.

When the door finally swung open and a frantic Mr. _ finally came rushing past the threshold, he was completely shocked, confused, and damn right bewildered to find his porch devoid of the wailing child he was sure to have woken him and his wife. There was absolutely nothing there.

oOoO

A half an hour later as Jiraiya sat lounging in his usual chair –content to just sit there and engage himself in late night television- he would be surprised that when Sasuke returned, his presence was accompanied with the smell of honey. He listened as the door to his home was shut quietly followed by the even quieter footsteps that were making their way down the hall.

The Uchiha strut right past him looking every bit of weary and emotionally exhausted as he felt. He didn't stop walking or even bother to acknowledge the questioning gray eyes that followed his form as he made his way to the stairs that led to his chosen room. In one hand he held the basket, the envelope carrying the child's identification still inside. In his other hand –resting peacefully on his shoulder- was the blond child who had managed to tantrum his way back into the man's life.

Sasuke sighed tiredly and turned to look at the elder male from over his shoulder. He opened his mouth to utter one single word and that was the only answer that Jiraiya received before the Uchiha was making his way up to retire for the night.

"Selfish."

On his shoulder, the golden child smiled contently in his sleep, blissfully unaware of any distress that troubled his newly named guardian. Sasuke could only sigh at the puddle of drool the boy left in his wake.


	6. Chapter 5

"Don't ask me. I'm sitting there minding my own business, a rarity by the way since I surrounded myself with you people, when he comes back in with the kid."

"With the kid?"

"Yep. Muttered some shit about being selfish and that was it. I don't pretend to understand that one."

"_"

"_"

"Uchiha! You get your ass down here!"

Obsidian eyes rolled a full three sixty in response to the stern calling of his name from downstairs. He could hear them speaking from the living area in their normal tones from where he was on the second floor as it was. There was no need to yell.

He sighed deeply in slight agitation before shifting his gaze to his left where Blue Eyes lay besides him sleeping peacefully. An easy smile graced his handsome pale features small but genuine. Last night he had been bold and spontaneous. Or maybe hysterical and panicked could better describe his actions last night. He'd been weak and most of all he'd been selfish.

Reaching out he ran long fingers through messy blond curls and down a ruby tinged cheek. The usually stoic raven delighted in the way that the boy responded to him in a sigh of pure contentment through his slumber.

"Selfish."

That's exactly what he'd been. Last night he'd heard those footsteps getting closer and closer, listened as the lock was turned, and the chain was released from the door. He had been left with only seconds to return Naruto to his basket and disappear out of his life forever.

He had high-tailed out of there before the knob could make a full turn with his baby in hand. His excuse had been that he didn't have time to dislodge Naruto's fragile fingers from his shirt without ripping the precious little digits off completely before the door was open.

Of course even he could take that excuse for exactly what it was; complete bullshit. Of course even he could admit -had admitted several times- to the real reasoning behind his bullshit. He -Sasuke Uchiha- was completely and wholly...

"Selfish." He muttered again as he took a tiny fist into his hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Yes Uchiha so I've heard! You have two seconds to get down here before I'm driven completely out of my element."

Sasuke definitely knew the feeling. Being completely out of his element.

Last night he hand paced, and cursed, and ruined his hair in violent attempts at ripping it out from the very root. All while baby Naruto slept snugly in a bundle of blankets in the middle of the bed.

It was only when Naruto had whimpered and shifted restlessly that Sasuke had ceased his frantic pacing. He sighed a trembling sigh before making his way over to the sea of soft baby blue blankets. Seconds later and Naruto was laid out on the Uchiha's chest, his own body rising and falling with the rhythm of Sasuke's constant inhale and release.

Blue Eyes had slept peacefully throughout the rest of the night completely soothe by his presence. It was heart warming and that was all it took to ease Sasuke's panic. He'd accepted the fact that he was indeed selfish and a bit more flawed than he had originally thought. But it didn't matter anymore because Sasuke dared to believe that this child might need him as much as he obviously needed him.

That they needed each other.

He was loved and needed and for the first time in such a long -long- time, Sasuke Uchiha was happy. Shikamaru Nara on the other hand obviously wasn't too happy about the situation but Sasuke could deal with that. He wasn't going to let that lazy bum kill his happiness with negativity.

Just to piss Nara off further he took his time descending the steps. Shikamaru took that as a form of rebellion that it took Sasuke two times his time limit before he was standing in front of him. Defiance was practically shinning in those dark pools and the lazy brunet doubted that Sasuke would show any remorse for his actions of indecisiveness. He let out a calming sigh and counted himself grateful to be blessed with lasting patience. Clearing his throat and straightening his tie; he let his gaze drift to where he knew the child slept peacefully upstairs. "I stressed to you before I made the papers that your mind was to be made at that exact moment." Sasuke didn't miss a beat. "You did and I had. I had been undoubtedly sure of my decision." Gaze still pointed at the stairway; Shikamaru replied. "And yet..."

"..."

When he didn't receive a immediate reply, he shifted his attention to the man in front of him to see that unwavering confidence falter just a hint. Sasuke's jaw tightened as he was a little irritated that he even felt the need to explain himself but considering all that Shikamaru was having to do for them he doubted that this was even the least he could do. So he rounded up his words carefully, trying to explain what he felt without having to expose himself too much.

"I was human once Nara. Evidence of that are the emotions that, despite common opinion, I do harbor that sparked a uncharacteristic spontaneity last night. And despite both present and future inconveniences that I'm sure are to arise I can not bring myself to regret a thing." Nothing at all. Not the inconvenience, the self loathing, the unpredictable outcome of their future... the murders. He regretted nothing; couldn't even regret the fact of knowing beyond doubt that that made him such an awful being. He had Naruto... In the beginning, middle, and ending of it all; that's all that mattered.

And despite his frustrations, Shikamaru couldn't stay made at that. It was touching to hear Sasuke admit to having desperately fallen scum to emotion, his greatest rival. He'd betrayed a portion of his pride, his greatest companion, for something much better... For Issac McCall. A taunting smirk played on his lips at the thought. "Fine then, if you're so sure of your decision this time around then-"

"-I am." Sasuke interrupted with such confidence to his tone and straight posture that neither Nara or Sannin could dare deny him.

"Well then," the lazy male taunted as he turned to leave. "I would like to personally extend my blessings to baby Isaac to being the newest addition to our-"

"-That's not his name," Sasuke interrupted yet again, his eyes frosted over and back stiff.

"It's on his birth certificate."

"Which brings us to-"

"-Us? I'm not helping your ungrateful ass with shit this time around. I told you that hacking the system-"

"-Are you looking for me to beg Nara? Because I won't. You won't be doing me any favors. It's you who'll have to look into that child's eyes and bare his confusion when you call him by a name he's unfamil-"

"-Damn you Uchiha!" Shikamaru scowled as he turned again and paced out the hall leading to the front door, thoroughly manipulated with guilt. "I'll have the damn papers to you by tomorrow!"

"Naruto Uchiha," were the specifications given as a reply. Naruto Uchiha. A rare genuine smile graced his handsome face at the mere sound of his angel wearing his last name; cleansing it of sin. The smile stayed even as Nara left without a reply and as he turned and headed back up the stairs completely ignoring a shocked Jiraiya.

Naruto was up. He had determined that a minute ago after hearing him gurgling happily at something, most likely simple, that had caught his interest. He didn't have much time until the child became impatient for his presence and the feeding, attention, and care that came along with it.

"Morning Blue Eyes." Huge crystalline eyes widened in awareness and shifted their gaze from the ceiling fan, his source of interest, to the pale skinned man standing in the doorway. One tiny tan hand -the one that wasn't wedged inside the boy's mouth- reached out to his new friend while his little legs kicked out frantically in excitement. Sasuke almost swooned it was so heart warning. "Good morning," he repeated as he moved from the door to hover over the child lying flat on the bed. Immediately the dryness in his throat became insistent and burning. The battle against his entire nature was fierce and impossible; yet he leaned in even closer to nuzzle his nose inside of sunshine locks. He basked in the enticing scent of sweetness that clogged his mind. It was a scent that his brain had come to know as Naruto. And it was that knowledge that assured Sasuke that he'd never be able to harm this child. Because when that scent of cinnamon and apple shut down his mind and left him slave to instinct, he would still recognize his baby through the fog and the only instinct greater than a vampires bloodlust was it's instinct to protect it's own. Naruto was his own.

"Mine." He mumbled gently into the child's messy fringe. "You are mines and nothing's going to take you away from me." He was suddenly overcome with emotion. Like a dam inside of him had been cracked and shattered and he was flooded with all of the misery that he had tried to block out all these years. It took a certain amount of happiness to come across you and remind you that you had been unhappy at all. Naruto made him happy; genuinely happy and he was too damn selfish to give that up...

...Oh well.

It wasn't as if Naruto was complaining. Frantic kicks to his chest drew Sasuke back to stare into the light of shinning blues and a million watt toothless smile. The hand that had been subjected to pools of slobber and gums were now playfully batting away at Sasuke's nose. The elder scowled at the slimy film of spit on his nose and gave the boy a reproachful -what am I going to do with you- kind of look. Fitful giggles sounded around the room as Naruto took great amusement in Sasuke's disdain. If the Uchiha was able to lay his mark then he was entitled to do so as well.

In his own sticky, messy, and gross sort of way.


	7. Epilogue

When he was a child Naruto could remember having complained endlessly over Sasuke's decision to live in such a secluded area. After having explored the range of forest that his guardian had allowed him to roam without supervision five times over he'd quickly grown bored with playing by himself and had always wished that there were more children around his neighborhood to keep him company.

Now though, as he lay sprawled on his back on top of the largest rock at the highest point of his trout stream, he couldn't have been more grateful for this amazing acre of land that he and Sasuke shared all to themselves. He breathed in deeply, lungs expanding to jut out his chest, and then let it out in a long and content sigh. The familiar smell of wet grass and pine tress filling his senses and the easy decent of water running smoothly over the rocks of the stream relaxing him completely and he was barely even aware of the steady drooping of his eyelids.

He sighed again in contentment and appreciated this rare opportunity of a little alone time. It was the first time that he'd been completely alone all week; and what a hectic week it had been. Naruto's emotions had been running haywire over the past few days as he came to terms with all that he'd put himself through to reacquaint himself with a past that was probably better left forgotten.

There had been relief of course. He was home, safe and secured under the protection of his precious guardian again. Most important though was the relief of absence of all secrecy and longing that had been driving him and Sasuke apart. There was nothing left to hide. No more fear of life altering revelations holding them back. The young human and his guilt-ridden guardian turned significant other were simply doing their best to move on. Naruto doing the best to encourage his love to let go of his guilt and trying to ease himself of his own at the same time.

There was definitely a lot of guilt on his part. He was guilty and ashamed of what he had put his family through. He'd cried with Iruka when the man had pulled him into his arms, a brief reunion as he'd been dragged into the arms of Sakura, then Ino only seconds later. He'd sat quietly under Tsunade's strict scolding for the first time in his life without interrupting with smart-ass remarks, defiance, rebellion, and absolute statements of his own justification.

He'd suffered suffocation, had literally choked, after she'd crushed him to her large bosom in between insanely strong arms moments later. His uncles, Gaara, Itachi, Kiba, and Neji more strictly than others, had taken to giving him the silent treatment. Not for his little runaway escape, they were giving Sasuke the treatment for that bit, but felt slightly betrayed as if he'd completely taken Kabuto's side.

Naruto had thought it ridiculous but after all he'd put them through he figured it wouldn't hurt to humor them. It hasn't lasted too long though because even though he'd experienced a bit of fear the first day he'd encountered Kabuto in the hallways at school, walking along side of a blushing Haku, he still felt that his uncles had no right to ninja-stalk him throughout his day, extra precaution be damned.

He'd been in class, doodling distractedly on his notebook when he'd shivered, the strange feeling of being watched causing goose bumps to run up his arms. He turned sharp blue eyes to the large window planted of the left wall of his classroom and had spotted him instantly. Shikamaru, in all his passive glory stood leaning lazily against a tree in the public park across the street. He was lazily alternating a cigarette from his mouth, down to rest at his sides as he lazily excelled the poisonous gas from his lungs, and back to his mouth again when he was ready for another drag. The ass had the nerve to nod his way when he'd caught Naruto's mortified stare, too damn lazy to bother hiding!

He'd given them all hell for that the moment he'd gotten home. He and Itachi had gone at it like two teenaged girls for half an hour. Itachi throwing his run away escapade in his face like he was entitled to invade in on Naruto's life now (a low blow). Naruto making offending comments on the quality of Itachi's hair (a double low blow) that were completely untrue (Itachi had great hair). It ended in a truce and Naruto having to console his uncle that, yes the shampoo that he was using was completely fine and that no he was lacking in either luster or shine.

Naruto sighed deeply as he stretched out on the surprisingly comfortable rock bed he was lying against. He barely noticed that he'd rolled over onto his side in the mist of his musing. Nor did he register the deep yawn that fled his mouth so lost was he in the memories of his stressful week.

Nothing that he'd experienced yet could compare to how he and Sasuke were handling the new development in their relationship. They were practically walking on eggshells around each other as they explored newly opened doors and tested boundaries. A tan hand resting lightly over a hard bicep would have Naruto's fingers trembling slightly at the intimacy of that small act alone. Long nimble fingers brushing along the smooth expanse of tan cheeks never failed send Naruto's heart into frenzy. Especially when Sasuke would lean forward slowly -so fucking slow- and run those fingers down to brush them over pouting lips. He strummed Naruto's heart like an instrument and the boy wasn't quite sure if he loved the feel of the organ clenching painfully in chest when Sasuke would tuck a lose strand of gold behind his ear. He wasn't sure if he loved the way his pulse would accelerate excitedly every time Sasuke leaned in just a little bit closer. He couldn't really figure out if he loved the feel of the ridiculous control the elder man held over his heart or if he hated it because he knew that Sasuke could hear every clinch, every acceleration, and every stop of his most vital organ and knew without a doubt that he was the very cause of it all. And finally, he was left undecided over the decision to either smack that extremely pleased, down right cocky, egotistical, undeniably… _sexy_ smirk off of his face, or if he'd rather just kiss it off instead.

oOoO

It was always a strange feeling for Naruto, to wake up without any remembrance of ever having fallen asleep. Subconsciously, he was aware of being lifted so easily that he was barely disturbed out of his slumber. The cool chill of blowing wind though proved to be a good enough reason to pull Naruto back into the physical world. The hard body that he had been cradled against was much to cool to offer any warmth but was so pleasantly familiar that Naruto could have fallen back to sleep easily with just the comfort of knowing that he was secured in Sasuke's strong and protective arms.

He realized that he must have fallen asleep atop the trout stream and had been there for at least an hour considering the fact that the sun was only minutes from retiring for the night. In one smooth motion Sasuke had leapt from the large rock and back to level with the trail that lead back to their home without so much as shifting Naruto's body from where he lay bridal against his chest. With a loud yawn, Naruto stretched his body out in exaggerated movement not caring that he was causing Sasuke inconvenience when he had to move to accommodate his arms to the boy's squirming body.

"Hmmm Suke." *yawn* "Mmm hungry." Blue eyes -watery and shinning from his nap- locked onto the adoring blacks of his guardian as he looked down at his still spoiled charge. By now the two had already made it home, Sasuke walking through the open door, Naruto lounging as he was carried into the kitchen. He was made to sit on the counter with his guardian leaning over him, hands resting on either side of Naruto's hips.

His heart clenched in his chest, reacting immediately to what he knew was leading into one of their explorative intimate moments. Sasuke picked up on the change in pace instantly, _that_ smirk tilting his thin lips. Smug bastard. He leaned in closer -closer still- the smirk breaking into a full on cocky grin when Naruto's pulse went hyper. He chose not to comment on the elder's newly inflated ego in favor of counting the seconds that it took for the few inches left in between them to finally cease to non. It seemed though, that his guardian had something new in mind for tonight.

A startled gasp left his lips at the rare sight of Sasuke's fangs - four sharp and gleaming pointed teeth- protruding from the top and bottom of both sides of his mouth. It startled Naruto because the man had always been cautious when it came down to showing Naruto his "darker side" for reasons unknown seeing as the rest of the family had absolutely no qualms with baring their teeth at each other in front of him the moment their little secret was out. But it was always a rare sight that Naruto would catch a hint of light reflecting off of the daggers growing out of the punctures of Sasuke's gums.

And it always left Naruto breathless and excited to be met with something so lethal. It terrified him because he'd only known Sasuke to be gentle –stern and commanding when the occasion called for it- but caring and loving was the norm. But fascination played the bigger part when he was meet with this side of his guardian. Maybe he had some sort of attraction for the "bad boy" type, and Naruto knew without a doubt that Sasuke could be just that. He knew enough about his past to know that Sasuke was exactly that in all of his years of roaming this earth alone. He was dangerous…and damn was Naruto getting a thrill from this moment.

He wasn't even aware of Sasuke's searching eyes as the man studied his every reaction. He was too distracted by the sight of Sasuke smiling dangerously down at him through those lethal weapons in a way that was oddly seductive -insanely sexy on his attractive face- and Naruto was so dazed that he was only subconsciously aware of said attractive man edging closer and closer. Sasuke locked his chin in between his thumb and forefinger, titling his head up until he was staring into intense onyx. "You're hungry huh?" Naruto sucked in a deep breath -when had he stopped breathing?- and could only answer with a slow blink of his eyes.

He followed obediently when Sasuke -with the grip that he still held on his chin- turned his head slightly to the right and leaned closer so that his nose was buried in Naruto's neck. "So am I." The younger Uchiha shuddered at the feel of Sasuke's front teeth gently nibbling at his pulse.

In the back of his mind, Sasuke noted that this was the furthest that they had ever taken their intimacy. Taking things slow had their perks because every time he'd introduce his charge to something new, he can revel in the light blushes that dusted Naruto's cheeks beautifully every time. Even more than that though was the boy's eagerness to participate and learn.

Like now, he wasn't retreating. He was in fact delighted to hear the boy respond breathlessly with, "how fast would it heal?" Easily catching on the not-so-subtle implication and Sasuke was almost besides himself to hear the boy responding positively to the idea.

"Instantly."

Naruto swallowed. Hard.

"Will it hurt?"

"...Yes, a little. It can be as painless or as painful as I please. Once you get past the initial sting of penetration of course."

He breathed in deeply from his position at Naruto's neck, letting the scent of warm caramel andmapples cloud his mind for only a second, his eyes flashing from ebony to blood red and back.

"…Naruto" There was an equal amount of strain and lust seeping out of Sasuke's voice. Persuasion, though, stood out the most. It was insane to think that Sasuke could persuade someone into wanting something that would only benefit himself, and make them want it just as badly. There was no resistance to his charm. People had willingly fallen victim to this man at the very cost of their lives.

"For eighteen years my self control has been nothing short of impeccable as I've denied myself even the slightest moment to entertain the thought of tasting you... But your scent... it's everywhere."

Pale fingers reached up to twine with the dainty ones resting on his shoulder.

"In my home. At my work."

His grip around those fingers tightened to a degree that borderlined painful.

"In my bed." Naruto simply would not outgrow his fear of thunder.

"It'll never stop seducing me Naruto. And it wasn't until I had finally figured out my feelings for you -and even later after I'd accepted them- that I'd allowed myself to fantasize..."

Naruto was very aware of the deep breaths that Sasuke took from the way that lips were pressed so intimately against his collarbone, cool air blowing and seeping into the collar of his button up shirt.

The shiver racking his spine had nothing to do with the chill.

"I know you'd taste amazing -the warmth of your flesh, your blood- would feel so amazing. He'd had gone deeper in sharing with Naruto his fantasies in great detail but then Naruto had whispered -without any hesitation- "do it."

Sasuke -charged with eighteen years of grueling self restraint- wasn't going to risk any second-guessing by asking for assurance. He trailed his fingers -slowly and languidly, down a tan arms until they came to rest on the trembling hand that still lay flat on the counter. He intertwined those delicate limbs with his own and brought them up only to release them after he'd coaxed the boy into holding onto his other shoulder.

"Remember, the penetration is going to be a little more than uncomfortable at first. Just hold on to me. I got you." Naruto nodded once in mock assurance, though he was sure that he'd end up barfing butterflies at any moment. His grip tightened around his guardian as cool finger lifted to undo the buttons of his shirt. A tongue rolled out to stroll over dry lips before making a hasty and shy retreat when Sasuke's eyes followed the movement intently. The teasing smirk that followed was soon placed over his hyperactive pulse, but was chased away when Sasuke released a tortured groan that nearly had his partner groaning in return. A tender kiss to his sensitive skin was his last warning before he felt the sharp edge of something deadly press gently against his neck.

A little more than uncomfortable turned out to be a little more than an understatement. A pained gasp sounded the air and Naruto had to grip hard on Sasuke's shoulders just to keep from jerking away. Those fangs were ripping straw-hole sized punctures into his neck, ripping through his skin -however smooth the action was rather painfully. But he endured it nonetheless and was rewarded with the feel of cool fingertips running under his shirt -traveling up the smooth expanse of his toned stomach- and brushing against dusty nipples. He gasped again -this time in surprised pleasure- and called out Sasuke's name breathlessly.

The elder Uchiha almost missed it, so far gone was he in a haze of taste and sensation. It was everything he'd dreamed it to be and more. The rushing of Naruto's blood flowing a steady stream through the punctures in his neck into his mouth to caress the taste buds on his tongue, and down his throat where it lost itself into his own bloodstream, it was amazing. The rich taste of something of the same nature but far more delectable than that of caramel and apples pulled a starved moan from his lips.

Frightened shivers racked Naruto's body when that moan turned into a predatory growl from somewhere deep in Sasuke's chest, but the thrill only contributed to his pleasure. He whimpered helplessly as those lips latched onto the skin around their joining as Sasuke sucked harder at his life source. His guardian growled again and bucked his hips forward violently colliding them with Naruto's, who could only throw his legs around the man's hips and cling on for dear life.

It was only after Naruto had started to feel more than a little lightheaded that Sasuke let up. The feeling of loose fingers trailing weakly off of his shoulders reminding him that he could only afford a sample. It physically hurt him to withdraw, and had he been feeding from anyone other than the child he held in his arms who's life meant more to him than anything, he definitely wouldn't have.

He ran his tongue over the wombs -watching as his saliva healed them instantly- and savored Naruto's taste on his tongue all the while. "So fucking good... you taste... heavenly... Naruto." He pulled away until he was staring the panting boy in his face.

"My angel."

And then he was kissing him, slow and sensual, long and deep. All traces of blood had been wiped away and drained into Sasuke's system but for a hint of what Naruto could only describe as a copper aftertaste. Naruto couldn't really agree on him tasting 'heavenly' but the feel of Sasuke's lips against his lips, tongue sliding along his tongue, fingers rubbing soothing circles into his back, heavenly was definitely what he would use to describe the moment.

His eyes slipped closed, both from the feel of Sasuke's tongue doing unspeakable things in his mouth, and because he simply didn't have the energy to keep them open any longer. It took quite a bit of effort for him to raise his arms to bury his hands in ebony locks, but still he managed.

Somewhere in his subconscious, the young Uchiha was vaguely aware that he was being lifted, but he damn right refused to tear his mouth away from the addicting lips attached to his own. That was okay though, because the elder wouldn't let up either, even as he carried his drowsy angel out the kitchen and up the stairs to his bedroom.

Inwardly he cursed himself for having taken more than he intended. He disposed of his burden gently onto his own satin sheets and watched amused as Naruto struggled to catch up with his surroundings. Lidded blue eyes shifted once to the left, right, and then upward to focus on his hovering guardian as his fingers spread out into the smooth converter beneath.

"Suke," he drawled tiredly. A spoiled pout jutted his bottom lip, and Sasuke watched with interest as red slowly begin to fill Naruto's cheeks again restoring that natural flush. "I told you that… I was hungry."

Sasuke chuckled quietly -more content and happy than he could ever remember being- before leaning down to press tender kisses all over his face until weak hands batted him away. "I would feed you, but love I don't think that you could stay awake long enough for me to fix you something- or long enough to eat it at that."

Behind those tanned eyelids, Sasuke was sure that blue eyes were glaring defiantly. If Naruto could be bothered to open them, he'd have been blessed with the most sincere smile that he'd ever known to grace that handsome face.

"Fine, but… I want Ramen… tomorrow."

"…"

"…"

"Naruto."

"Mmm."

"… I love you."

The corners of Naruto's lips tilted into a soft smile and when he reached out blindly –searching- Sasuke wasted no time in guiding that hand until it cupped around the outline of his jaw and rested against his cheek. A slight tug was all that was needed before he felt the slight pressure of thin lips against his own.

"You to Suke… You to."


End file.
